


Afraid of a Love Affair?

by volee_weva



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Episode: e060-066 The Stolen Century Parts 1-7, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Karaoke, Mutual Pining, Taverns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:21:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27480385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/volee_weva/pseuds/volee_weva
Summary: "The absolute irony of thinking about jumping into the unknown and telling the most beautiful woman he had ever seen he’s been in love with her for ages, being immediately followed by the immortal, plane-transcending classic hit by ABBA was not lost on him."--Barry reflects while he and the Starblaster Crew enjoy a karaoke tavern.
Relationships: Barry Bluejeans & IPRE Crew | Starblaster Crew, Barry Bluejeans/Lup, Lup & Taako (The Adventure Zone)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Afraid of a Love Affair?

The tavern had a nice energy to it. It was warm, not too crowded, and the bread was the best he had eaten in at least seven cycles. Barry was glad to have the time for them to relax. They had obtained the Light early in the cycle, which gave them the freedom to enjoy the plane they were in, between study sessions, of course. This plane was fairly similar to their home world, with a few more suns and very interesting technological advancements. 

Like, the clean looking speakers and the large screens with lyrics scrawling across them for people to sing along on a stage. It was pretty entertaining-- Merle had gotten up there and done a very impressive performance to a song with a lot of twang to it. 

Barry smiled easily as he took a sip of his beer, and nearly choked when Magnus let out a loud whoop next to him. 

“Magnus, what the--” He grumbled as he aspirated spittle and beer foam, but his words died on his lips when he looked up. 

Lup and Taako had abandoned their seats across from him and taken to the stage, with all the panache the twins brought to everything they did. Barry watched Lup pick up a microphone, and she murmured something to her brother, whose eyes lit up with a devilish spark. Taako never would have gotten up there if his sister wasn’t at his side, but he stood there proud, tapping on a smaller screen by the stage as he deftly picked a song. 

The music started to boom from the speakers, and Lup met Barry’s eyes directly. She grinned from the stage, her tongue between her teeth, and she winked. 

By now, Barry should be used to the way his stomach swoops when Lup looks at him. At least, for someone who has repressed his ever-growing crush on his coworker for nearly two decades now. He was thankful for his beer, since he could use it as an excuse for the flush that was blooming across his cheeks.

He squashed his nerves down as Taako turned quickly on his heels and started to sing, a quick line in a language Barry didn’t recognize. Lup whirled around to her brother, responding enthusiastically in kind with a trill of words. 

Neither of the twins were that technically good at singing, but, the way they danced around each other on stage showed that confidence could outweigh raw talent any day. 

Barry watched the two of them belt out a tune. Well, being completely honest, he watched Lup. He just couldn’t take his eyes off her. The lights on the bar were almost acting like halos around her, making it look like she was glowing, effervescent, ethereal. And Barry just indulged the affection he had in his heart for her.

Their song came to a rousing finish. The twins posed with a flourish, leaning shoulder to shoulder with matching grins, and the bar burst into applause. 

Their crew led the charge with much more raucous cheers. Magnus and Merle hollered for their friends, while Davenport tapped a fork against his beer stein with a proud sparkle in his eyes. Beside him, Lucretia clapped gently, subdued, with a small smile gracing her lips. Barry clapped too, knowing full well that he was simply oozing affection.

Lup met his gaze from the stage and waggled her brows. Barry let out a small “woo,” and gave a short, quick fist pump. Her grin turned softer, and Barry’s heart swelled.

It was moments like these, he wondered whether he should say something, to bare the secret love he’s hidden for decades now. He usually talked himself out of it, knowing that the mission was more important, and that he was much more content to just be her friend and share in her smile from a distance. But, lately, he had started arguing with himself more and more in the other direction, that it wouldn’t be so bad to let her know how he felt. To just take a chance on something, for once. 

Another song started and the first few notes of a familiar song filled the room. Lup’s grin grew wide and dazzling as she leaned against her brother, shoulder to shoulder, and sang.

“If you change your mind, I’m the first in line, Honey, I’m still free, take a chance on me.”

Barry checked around, to see if there was someone reading his mind. Or to make sure he wasn’t getting punk’d. 

The absolute irony of thinking about jumping into the unknown and telling the most beautiful woman he had ever seen he’s been in love with her for ages, being immediately followed by the immortal, plane-transcending classic hit by ABBA was not lost on him. 

Lup and Taako, who have probably had this song ingrained in their brains since birth, had brought their performance from the stage into the bar proper. They spun through the tables, Taako’s blaise strut making locals swoon, and Lup’s bright energy proved contagious on her side of the bar. Barry himself wasn’t immune to her infectious smile, and he again found himself getting lost in her performance. 

He leaned his cheek on one hand, drumming the rhythm of the song on the table with the other. He was certain that his expression was unapologetically sappy as he watched Lup weave through the tables.

She spun quickly, meeting side by side with her brother in front of the corner the Starblaster crew had commandeered. Lup’s expression was lax, her eyes sliding lovingly over their crew. When she got to Barry, her expression perceptively softened. Barry felt the same nervous tingles all through his body, holding her gaze and smiling wistfully. 

“Cause you know I’ve got so much that I wanna do,” He mouthed along to the song, because, for one, it was so catchy, and for another, he knew it would make Lup happy. 

On cue, she grinned at him with a fiery intensity.

“When I dream I’m alone with you,” Lup hoisted herself up onto the table, crossing leg over leg and twisting to face Barry, “It’s magic.”

His heart racketed against his ribcage. He slowly sat up, knowing he would never get over how she was so effortlessly stunning. Like, now, she was sitting right in front of him, singing just a little off key with that perfectly crooked smile on her face, and she was the most perfect person he had ever known. 

“You want me to leave it there,” She sighed into the song, never taking her eyes off of Barry. 

“Afraid of a love affair,” He barely breathed, the words catching on the emotion welled in his throat, as he started to lean towards her, hands flat on the table to stabilize himself.

And, to his surprise, she leaned in too. Their faces grew closer and closer, a few inches apart, and Barry could nearly count all the colors in her eyes. “But I think you know,”

“That I can’t let go.” Their voices mingled into the mic, barely discernible from each other.

Barry couldn’t stop his eyes from flicking down to Lup’s pretty little mouth. 

She was smiling, soft, almost tentative. It was a smile that was so familiar to him now. It was the one she gave him in the low light of the laboratory between their Light study sessions, over morning coffee, under the stars on the beach Cycles ago. That smile that was full of warmth, that was just so Lup.

God, what he wouldn't give to kiss the song from that smile.

“If you change your mind!” Barry leapt back into his seat, the anticipative energy dissipating into the noise at the other end of the table. Magnus and Merle had gotten up from their seats, sandwiching Taako between them as they more shouted-than-sang the next line into the microphone, their voices clashing in a way that could only pleasing to them. “I’m the first in line!”

Barry couldn’t help but smirk, glancing back at Lup. She was still looking at him, lips parted ever so slightly and a contemplative furrow to her brows. Before Barry could question it, Lup's expression shifted and she rolled her eyes affectionately at their crewmates. He shrugged back with a wry grin. 

“Guess I have to go save Taako,” She sighed overdramatically before sliding off the table and bringing the microphone back to her lips. 

“Yeah, might be good,” Barry nodded in agreement, and she threw a wink in his direction before making her way to the other end of the table. 

Davenport and Lucretia, both in too good of moods to complain about the rowdiness of their little group, watched alongside Barry as Lup pulled her brother from between Magnus and Merle, holding the mic between them so they could properly out-sing their friends.

Barry took a sip of beer, knowing that the buzz of the scene was going to resonate with him a lot more than the alcohol would. Now hadn’t been the right moment. Not by a long shot. If he was going to finally take the plunge and tell Lup just how much he loved the way her voice cracked when she tried to sing louder than Magnus, or the way her nose wrinkled when she was trying to solve a problem, it was going to be different. 

He loved everything about her, from the mistakes she made to the courageous stands she took, and he was going to let her know that. It was getting to the point where he was wondering with more of himself if she felt the same way, too. Which, granted, was probably more the alcohol talking at the moment, but, it was still a seed of a thought, planted in his mind to contemplate in his quiet moments alone.

And, to tell the truth, Barry was pretty certain he would not be confessing his feelings for her to the tune of ABBA’s Take a Chance on Me. There was a piece of him, however, that knew his love for Lup would have a soundtrack.

**Author's Note:**

> Why, yes, the first song Taako and Lup perform is Bop to the Top from HSM, do NOT even @ me.


End file.
